We're Taking A Cue From Kate Middleton & Bringing These Fancy Clutches To Every Summer Wedding

Take it from Kate Middleton: Selecting the right handbag for a dressy event is, in many cases, an art form. Formal dress codes, like weddings or black tie occasions, require a unique bag that often isn't already chilling in your closet. And said bag has to hit the crucial mix of matching your dress while still standing out on its own. It can't be too big where it looks like you've brought along a laptop as your plus one, but it also needs to be capable of carrying the essentials: phone, wallet, keys, lipstick. And don't even get us started on the fact that the majority of evening handbags are cheap metal clutches adorned in beads and lamé.

But — drum roll, please — praise be for the micro bag trend. Our newfound obsession with baby bags has single-handedly saved the pain of shopping for the dreaded "event purse." It's resulted in miniature top handle and drawstring clutches that fit the bill of cute, fancy, and can sort of, kind of, hold your necessities (maybe don't try to shove an iPhone 8+ into one, though).

Add to that the fact that Kate Middleton was spotted supporting the trend à la Loeffler Randall's Tab Clutch while schmoozing with her fellow royals at the Queen's Garden Party (casual), and any doubts you had about evening bags should be flying out the window. So before you head to yet another summer wedding with the wrong arm candy, take a cue from the Duchess of Cambridge and opt for one of the 13 fancy handbags ahead.